Prime Minister Netanyahu Praises MDA’s Response in Guatemala

Posted By : Erik Levis July 11, 2018

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently sent MDA Director-General Eli Bin a letter of recognition and appreciation for MDA’s rapid response to the Fuego Volcano disaster in Guatemala. Below is an English-language translation.

To:Eli BinMDA Director General

With the return of the Israeli aid delegation to the victims of the eruption of the Fuego volcano in Guatemala, I would like to thank you for your contribution to the organization of the medical teams that quickly embarked on this important mission.

When we learned of the disaster, we rushed to dispatch a team of medical experts to Guatemala that provided first aid to local residents, performed surgeries, provided training for the treatment of casualties, and held emergency preparedness courses.

The intensive efforts of the members of the delegation bore considerable fruit. It filled our hearts with pride as the Jewish nation which attributes supreme significance to the sanctity of life. As in previous cases in which we extended a helping hand to the victims of disasters around the world, this time too, the face of the real Israel — a moral, lifeseeking and lifesaving state — was revealed.

The activities of the Israeli delegation in Guatemala added an important element to our close relations with this country. A few weeks before the volcano’s disaster, the President of Guatemala, Jimmy Morales, visited Jerusalem and took part in the inauguration of his country’s embassy in the capital. The hand of fate allowed us to demonstrate our sincere friendship towards the citizens of Guatemala as soon as possible — a friendship expressed in times of both routine and distress.